I Was This Close To Leaving Chelsea – Rudiger

Defender Antonio Rudiger said he “was close” to leaving Chelsea last summer after speaking to Tottenham manager Jose Mourinho and also considered a move to Paris St-Germain.
The 28-year-old German was out of favour earlier in the season under former boss Frank Lampard, who left him out of several matchday squads.

He said he “took it on the chin”, adding “no-one told me I should leave”.

“I was a bit upset, because I knew my situation,” Rudiger said.

The Germany international said Thomas Tuchel, who took over from Lampard at Stamford Bridge in January, led the race for his signature while still in charge of PSG earlier in the season.

“There were really two teams; maybe one team I was considering, that was PSG, to be honest.

“And there was also a call with Mourinho. But this is something at the end of the day that didn’t happen.”

Rudiger said a conversation with Lampard saw him return to the bench in late November, but he started just four times in the Premier League before Lampard was sacked in January.

He has since started 11 of the 12 games that Tuchel has been in charge of, including the first leg of their last-16 Champions League tie against Atletico Madrid which they won 1-0.

“Now things are going well for me, I’m very happy about it,” Rudiger said.

“But to be honest I always felt well in the club. They treated me nice.”

He says staying at Chelsea beyond the end of his contract, which expires in June 2022, is “priority number one”.

“At the end of the day I cannot give myself a contract,” Rudiger said. “So that’s why I have to wait to see what happens.

“Everyone, me and the club know how much I like this club, so it’s down to the people who make these types of decisions.”